(“Small” from environmentandsociety.org)
Mr Dar’s topic is the harsh economic life of Filipino
farmers. He says in his opening paragraph:
… In today’s globalized environment where food producers
face daunting challenges from climate change, geopolitical tensions, and
increased competition, staying small is no longer an option.
Yes Sir! Agricultural
economics is where farmers matter Big – but they cannot remain Small.
In Philippine agriculture, we have witnessed how many
small food producers remain poor or impoverished because they only have one or
less than a hectare of land to cultivate.
Small is not beautiful
when it comes to farming because economics matters. Poor economics ensures that
poor farmers remain poor.
… Since many or even millions of aging farmers fail to
become prosperous, their sons and daughters in most cases seek professions or
vocations outside of agriculture.
Thus, in the rural areas, the actual practice of economics
fails to prove the adage: “Life father, like son. Like mother, like daughter.”
It was during my watch at the Department of Agriculture
that the clustering of farmers and the consolidation of their lands were initiated
to attain economies of scale in food production. This initiative also resulted
in more and more private companies partnering with clustered farmers for their
raw materials needs under the “big brother-small brother” partnership that is
mutually beneficial.
Thus, when Mr Dar was Secretary of Agriculture, he started
clustering the small farms so that their consolidation can “attain economies of
scale in food production.” Additionally, private companies were attracted to
partner with clustered farmers for their mutual benefit.
In music, German genius
composer Felix Mendelssohn says,
“The essence of the beautiful is unity in diversity.” Beautiful! Small farms
must be united.
(“Essence” from passiton.com)
“Unity in variety” is “a principle that aesthetic value or
beauty in art depends on the fusion of various elements into an organic whole
which produces a single impression” (Merriam-Webster,
merriam-webster.com).
Different small farmers with
their variety of farm produce must be united to make Agriculture Beautiful!
Mr Dar says:
A study titled “Private Investment In Agri-Food Sector:
Constraints And Challenges” by Ramon Yedra undertaken for the Department of
Agriculture-Agribusiness and Market Service in 2021 identified small land
holdings as the “most common cited limitation” to scale up agriculture and
agribusiness.
The Yedra study was on banana, coconut, purple yam and
dragon fruit commodity-industries and on large agribusiness investors.
To distribute the benefits
of agriculture socially, unity in diversity: We must upscale the small farms;
at the same time, we must upskill the small farmers.
Aha! We need a working Secretary
of Agriculture who knows what he must do, and does it!@517
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